Crusaders (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
The Crusaders is a group of fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics
. The characters first appear in The Invaders
#14 (March 1977) and were created by Roy Thomas
, Jack Kirby
, and Frank Robbins
.
title The Invaders
and capture the crew of a crashed German
bomber
. Accepted by the British
people, the team (Captain Wings
, Dyna-Mite
, Ghost Girl
, the Spirit of '76
, Thunder Fist, and Tommy Lightning) becomes the official protectors of the current king
(George VI), thereby displacing the American
superhero
team the Invaders. The Crusaders are revealed to be guided by a cabbie
driver and apparent British spy
called "Alfie", who can cancel their powers courtesy of a technological belt the character wears.
The character Dyna-Mite, who has no memory of his former life, becomes suspicious and spies on Alfie, learning he is a Nazi agent and is planning to use the heroes to assassinate the king. Dyna-Mite warns the Invaders, and Alfie instigates a fight between the heroes and the Crusaders. The Nazi is killed in a car crash attempting to escape from the android Human Torch. The Crusaders, now powerless, disband, although Dyna-Mite—revealed to be Roger Aubrey, the close friend of Brian Falsworth, the brother of Invader Spitfire
—remains trapped in a minute form.
Aubrey is eventually restored to normal height and adopts Falsworth's former heroic identity as the Destroyer, now calling himself the Mighty Destroyer (as Falsworth eventually succeeded his father, James Falsworth, as Union Jack II).
superhero team the Freedom Fighters
. The character associations are: Captain Wings
and Black Condor
; Dyna-Mite and Doll Man
; Ghost Girl
and Phantom Lady; Spirit of '76
and Uncle Sam
; Thunder Fist and Human Bomb
; and Tommy Lightning and the Ray
.
At the same time that the Invaders were meeting the Crusaders in Marvel Comics, DC Comics' Freedom Fighters were also facing off against a team called the Crusaders, with the DC version of the Crusaders based upon Marvel Comics' Invaders. (Several of the Crusaders that fought the Freedom Fighters were really "comic book fans" named "Lennie" (Len Wein
), "Marvin" (Marv Wolfman
), "Arch" (Archie Goodwin
), and "Roy" (Roy Thomas
), as shown in Freedom Fighters #9.)
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The characters first appear in The Invaders
Invaders (comics)
The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the . The original team was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #71 . A present-day incarnation was introduced by writer Chuck Austen and artist Scott Kolins in The Avengers vol...
#14 (March 1977) and were created by Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
, Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, and Frank Robbins
Frank Robbins
Franklin "Frank" Robbins was a notable American comic book and comic strip artist and writer, as well as a prominent painter whose work appeared in museums including the Whitney Museum of American Art, where one of his paintings was featured in the 1955 Whitney Annual Exhibition of American...
.
Publication history
The Crusaders first appear in the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
title The Invaders
Invaders (comics)
The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the . The original team was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #71 . A present-day incarnation was introduced by writer Chuck Austen and artist Scott Kolins in The Avengers vol...
and capture the crew of a crashed German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
. Accepted by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
people, the team (Captain Wings
Captain Wings
Captain Wings is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is based on Black Condor.-Publication history:Captain Wings appeared in Invaders #14-15 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins....
, Dyna-Mite
Destroyer (Roger Aubrey)
Destroyer is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the lover of previous "Destroyer", Brian Falsworth....
, Ghost Girl
Ghost Girl (Marvel Comics)
Ghost Girl is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Ghost Girl appeared in Invaders #14-15 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins.-Fictional character biography:...
, the Spirit of '76
Spirit of '76 (comics)
The Spirit of '76 is the name of two fictional comic book characters, one each from Harvey Comics and Marvel Comics.-Harvey Comics:The first comics character by this name is a patriotic superhero created by writer Gary Blakey and artist Bob Powell in Harvey's Pocket Comics #1...
, Thunder Fist, and Tommy Lightning) becomes the official protectors of the current king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
(George VI), thereby displacing the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team the Invaders. The Crusaders are revealed to be guided by a cabbie
Cabbie
Cabbie may refer to:* A taxicab driver* A Lee C Kearns, a.k.a The Cabbie the stand up comedian and vantriloquist* Lee Mroszak, a.k.a. Crazy Cabbie, deejay and former regular guest on The Howard Stern Show* Cabbie Richards, Canadian TV personality...
driver and apparent British spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
called "Alfie", who can cancel their powers courtesy of a technological belt the character wears.
The character Dyna-Mite, who has no memory of his former life, becomes suspicious and spies on Alfie, learning he is a Nazi agent and is planning to use the heroes to assassinate the king. Dyna-Mite warns the Invaders, and Alfie instigates a fight between the heroes and the Crusaders. The Nazi is killed in a car crash attempting to escape from the android Human Torch. The Crusaders, now powerless, disband, although Dyna-Mite—revealed to be Roger Aubrey, the close friend of Brian Falsworth, the brother of Invader Spitfire
Spitfire (comics)
Spitfire is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe and was introduced as a member of the World War II era Invaders superhero team.-Fictional character biography:...
—remains trapped in a minute form.
Aubrey is eventually restored to normal height and adopts Falsworth's former heroic identity as the Destroyer, now calling himself the Mighty Destroyer (as Falsworth eventually succeeded his father, James Falsworth, as Union Jack II).
Conception
The Crusaders were based on the DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero team the Freedom Fighters
Freedom Fighters (comics)
Freedom Fighters is a DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company Quality Comics. Although the characters were created by Quality, they never were gathered in a group before acquired by DC...
. The character associations are: Captain Wings
Captain Wings
Captain Wings is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is based on Black Condor.-Publication history:Captain Wings appeared in Invaders #14-15 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins....
and Black Condor
Black Condor
Black Condor is the name of three fictional characters, DC Comics superheroes who have all been members of the Freedom Fighters. The first Black Condor, Richard Grey Jr., was originally a Quality Comics character.-Quality Comics:...
; Dyna-Mite and Doll Man
Doll Man
Note: This article is about the Quality Comics character. For the Full Moon Features film Dollman, see Dollman . For the article on the movie's titular character, please see Brick Bardo....
; Ghost Girl
Ghost Girl (Marvel Comics)
Ghost Girl is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Ghost Girl appeared in Invaders #14-15 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins.-Fictional character biography:...
and Phantom Lady; Spirit of '76
Spirit of '76 (comics)
The Spirit of '76 is the name of two fictional comic book characters, one each from Harvey Comics and Marvel Comics.-Harvey Comics:The first comics character by this name is a patriotic superhero created by writer Gary Blakey and artist Bob Powell in Harvey's Pocket Comics #1...
and Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam (comics)
Uncle Sam is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero based on national personification of the United States, Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam first appeared in National Comics #1 and was created by Will Eisner.-Quality Comics:...
; Thunder Fist and Human Bomb
Human Bomb
The Human Bomb is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Police Comics #1 , and was created by writer and artist Paul Gustavson.-Publication history:...
; and Tommy Lightning and the Ray
Ray (comics)
The Ray is the name of four fictional characters, all superheroes in the DC Comics universe.The first Ray was a Quality Comics character who was one of those purchased by DC Comics. He was later retconned as a member of the Freedom Fighters...
.
At the same time that the Invaders were meeting the Crusaders in Marvel Comics, DC Comics' Freedom Fighters were also facing off against a team called the Crusaders, with the DC version of the Crusaders based upon Marvel Comics' Invaders. (Several of the Crusaders that fought the Freedom Fighters were really "comic book fans" named "Lennie" (Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
), "Marvin" (Marv Wolfman
Marv Wolfman
Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...
), "Arch" (Archie Goodwin
Archie Goodwin (comics)
Archie Goodwin was an American comic book writer, editor, and artist. He worked on a number of comic strips in addition to comic books, and is best known for his Warren and Marvel Comics work...
), and "Roy" (Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
), as shown in Freedom Fighters #9.)